Pence's war on Planned Parenthood

Pence says that, by taking away Planned Parenthood’s federal money, the government could eliminate the group’s ability to operate abortion clinics entirely. “We should end the day when the largest abortion provider is the largest recipient of [Title X] federal funding,” he said.

“What’s clear to me, if you follow the money, you can actually take the funding supports out of abortion. We then have a much better opportunity to move forward to be a society that says yes to life.”

Pence first went after Planned Parenthood’s public funding in 2007.

“What was apparent to me then was there was some unwritten agreement that we had arrived at, an unstated truce between pro-abortion and pro-life legislators that the debate would happen within certain parameters and over certain appropriations riders,” he said. “When we introduced this, it was a completely different element in the equation.”

The legislation ultimately failed, but Pence doggedly stuck with the issue. He reintroduced the legislation last session and commissioned a GAO report on how HHS spends Title X funding.

He campaigned on the issue in 2010, sending an e-mail to supporters saying: “I’m ready to deliver … legislation that will prevent abortion providers like Planned Parenthood from receiving a single dime from the federal government.”

Now, he’s closer to success than ever before. Shortly after he introduced his legislation in January, the anti-abortion group Live Action released a series of “sting” videos, including one that they say showed a Planned Parenthood employee advising minors to provide false information in order to obtain an abortion. The employee was later fired, and Planned Parenthood also claimed the material had been deceptively edited to cast the group in a bad light.

So far, Pence’s legislation to bar Title X funding for abortion providers has accrued 164 co-sponsors and the promise of a hearing from Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee.

Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood and its supporters on the Hill have mobilized furiously against the bill.

“This is absolutely an all-out assault now,” Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) told POLITICO. She organized a 100-representative letter to Boehner denouncing the Pence legislation. “[Pence] is going after Planned Parenthood for the same reason that we’re defending it: its importance. Planned Parenthood has the brand for these kinds of clinics.”

About two-dozen Planned Parenthood CEOs and clinics have been in Washington lobbying on the importance of Planned Parenthood and Title X. Planned Parenthood has logged more than 11,000 phone calls from its supporters to members of Congress.

Abortion-rights supporters worry that, while stand-alone abortion restrictions may not have a chance in the Senate, provisions added to a must-pass continuing resolution could slip through.

And Pence’s amendment looms alongside another hit to reproductive health funds: The continuing resolution itself, as currently written, would wipe out Title X funds all together.

“Since it’s a base bill, I’m very concerned that it might stay there,” said Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), co-chairwoman of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus. “I’m concerned that some of these restrictions on reproductive health are going to whip through Congress and people aren’t going to see it coming.”

Pence’s continuing resolution amendment will likely receive a vote by Thursday. Even if it does not become law, he’ll likely push forward undeterred.

“Let the abortion providers provide for themselves,” Pence says. “I’d like to continue to be a persistent, respectful voice for the sanctity of life.”